


Make A Splash

by reylocalligraphy



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Ben does Rey's hair, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Happily Ever After, Holding Hands, Humor, It's so fluffy you're gonna die, Making Out, Olympics, Rey Pain Train, ReyloIsACult2K18, Rian Kathleen and JJ are commentators, Rian Reylo Johnson, So much fluff after so much angst, Tooth Rotting Fluff, competitive swimming, sunrise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2018-08-28
Packaged: 2019-06-08 03:14:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15234105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reylocalligraphy/pseuds/reylocalligraphy
Summary: Rey and Kylo, both on the verge of breaking separate individual medal records, are swimming on the same relay. What could possibly go wrong?An Olympic Swimming Reylo AU, featuring commentators Rian and Kathleen.





	1. The Cost of One Hundredth

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever Reylo fic! This fic was inspired by:  
> \- 8 years of competitive swimming in my past. I loved each and every one of those years <3  
> \- In 2020, mixed relays (relays of which teams include 2 men and 2 women) will be introduced, so I was inspired to write this fic where Rey and Kylo swim on the same relays.  
> \- The ladies of The Writing Den, who have been so kind, friendly, and supportive to me throughout.  
> \- The entire Reylo community and fandom, which is seriously so talented in every way!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to [RebelRebel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelRebel) for making me this amazing animated moodboard below!!!

  


“Welcome to the sixth night of swimming at the 2028 Cloud City Olympics! We are live at the Bespin Aquatic Center, with Kathleen and Rian commentating tonight.”

“Thank you, JJ. What an exciting five nights of swimming it has been! More swimming records have been broken here than any past Olympics, Kathleen!”

“Oh certainly, Rian. The spotlight tonight is on American swimmer, Kylo Ren. He already has amassed a grand total of seventeen medals over his three Olympic appearances. And now here he is, only one medal away from breaking the all-time record set by Luke Skywalker in 1996. Truly an incredible swimmer, he is!”

“That’s right, Kathleen. He already has five medals here at Cloud City, and has a chance at two more medals in two relays. But let’s not forget about his fellow teammate Rey Johnson, who is a shining star at her first ever Olympics! From the small town of Jakku all the way to the bright lights here at the Olympics, Johnson has been a wonderful breakout story. She’s aiming to break the record of total gold medals won by a rookie, and she’s well on her way, I’d say!”

“Johnson already has three individual golds and two relay golds, and will have a shot at two more relays and one individual event. She’s working towards breaking Ahsoka Tano’s record of six gold medals in a rookie’s first Games.”

“And both Ren and Johnson are swimming on the same relay tonight, with Johnson also tackling her best event - the 100-meter freestyle - shortly afterwards. We can’t wait to see the competition tonight!”

==========

“Alright guys, you ready for this?” Amilyn Holdo peered at the four swimmers in front of her. 

Finn and Rey both nodded at Team USA’s head coach, while Rose fidgeted with her goggles. Kylo didn’t bother to respond; his gaze merely drifted nonchalantly around the preparation room.

“This is only the fourth time mixed relays have been allowed at the Olympics,” Amilyn continued, “and USA has a streak to uphold. Finn, you’re going to lead off the relay. Rose, you will follow. Then Kylo, and lastly Rey.”

“Rey and Kylo,” the coach pointedly directed at her two star swimmers, “you two are the last two legs of this relay. This is your strongest event - for the both of you. Stay focused and bring it home. Let’s do it!”

==========

Team USA congregated near the diving block behind their designated lane. The four of them had wildly different warm-up routines, so they all gave each other space.

Kylo walked into the pool wearing massive wireless headphones and sat down in one of the white, plastic chairs. The headphones, a shiny black adorned with illustrations of red flames, blocked out the roaring crowd and helped Kylo maintain focus. His harsh glare shot at the floor like a laser. 

In completely opposite fashion, the extremely extroverted Finn took his energy from the crowd. He absolutely embraced the cheers, yells, and claps from the spectators. He stood behind Kylo’s chair, raising his arms outwards with a large grin on his face to welcome the ambience of the entire Bespin Aquatic Center.

Rose and Rey had much more physical routines. Rose placed both hands on the diving block, leaning back to stretch her arms and back. Then, she slapped her forearms three times each. Beside her, Rey crouched down over the edge of the pool to splash her face five times. Then, she stood up and jumped up and down repeatedly, trying to shake off her nerves.

A sharp whistle was blown. Finn and seven other swimmers stepped onto the blocks. The race was about to begin.

==========

“What a tight field we have tonight for the finals of the 4 x 100-meter mixed freestyle relay! The United States and United Kingdom nabbed the top two seeds this morning in the prelims, but definitely keep an eye out for Japan and Mexico.”

“For sure, those two countries are great underdogs, Rian! China, Singapore, Brazil, and Australia round out the rest of the field.”

“The biggest spotlights are definitely on Rey Johnson and Kylo Ren, both American swimmers who are seeking to break individual medal records. Ren and Johnson will be swimming third and fourth on their relay, respectively. Ugh, I just love them both so much! Both are generational talents in swimming. Kathleen, what are your medal predictions?”

“Well, Rian, you know I’m a major fan of Kylo Ren. So I’m definitely rooting for the US to win a medal. UK’s got some fantastic freestyle sprinters, so I expect these two teams to hold a very tight race. I have no idea about bronze!”

“Interesting, most interesting. And I agree!”

“The swimmers have now stepped onto the blocks. The final whistle has been blown, and the race is off!”

“American swimmer Finn Storm is off to a phenomenal start. What a great dive by him! China’s Baze Malbus is now in the lead. He and Storm turn at the halfway point ahead of the field. They are followed by UK’s Bala Tik and Japan’s Eiji Telsij.”

“This is proving to be a very exciting race so far, Rian! Now, the handoffs here are very important - if any swimmer dives in too early, that would result in a disqualification. Storm touches the wall first, handing off to Rose Tico.”

“That was a beautiful relay exchange executed by Tico. What a year she’s had, Kathleen! She really proved her haters and naysayers wrong with her outstanding times at the US Olympic Trials and these games so far.”

“Indeed, Rian. Tico is now closely followed by the UK’s Jyn Erso. Erso and Tico are neck-and-neck right now, a few seconds ahead of all other swimmers.”

“Erso turns at the wall first; Tico three hundredths of a second behind. Australia’s Zam Wesell just surged ahead to touch the wall third here.”

“These ladies have fifty more meters to go, before we reach the halfway point of this relay, Rian!”

“Tico and Erso are practically stroke for stroke right now. They touch the wall at an identical time, and the UK’s Armitage Hux and the USA’s Kylo Ren leap in.”

“Hux and Ren are very familiar with each other. They’ve raced countless times in the past, and this time is no different. They have very different styles too - Hux swims with elegance and poise, his strokes are very graceful - ”

“Well, only someone who values poise and beauty could possibly maintain that shiny ginger hair so well -”

“Thank you, Rian, for that amazing insight. In contrast to Hux, Ren makes up for his relative lack of grace with his aggressive style and astounding athleticism. Look at him, he’s pounding the water furiously with every stroke he takes!”

“Well said, Kathleen! Mexico’s Cassian Andor has caught up and advanced past the rest of the field, pulling away but still remaining behind Ren and Hux. The three of them touch the wall in the order of Ren, Hux, and Andor.”

“And off they go, the anchors of this relay! Rey Johnson keeps America’s lead so far, closely followed by UK’s Gwen Phasma. Mexico’s Maz Kanata is in third.”

“Can we talk about Johnson’s relay exchange just now? We all know Rey is well known for her insanely fast reaction times on her dives, but that - that was another level! Kathleen, did you catch that?”

“I did, Rian, and frankly my eye test isn’t strong enough to tell if she dived too early. It will be up to video later, if the officials also hold the same sentiment as us.”

“We can only hope the best for Johnson and Ren. Johnson has now pulled away from the rest of the field, clearly in the lead. She slams her hand on the wall for gold, and Phasma clocks in for silver 1.3 seconds later.”

“Kanata holds on for bronze, and - wow! In a stunner, Singapore finishes fourth - just off the podium - from a breathtakingly rapid time split from Jessika Pava at the end.”

“Well Kathleen, that was certainly a most thrilling race from start to end! We’ll now cut to commercial as we await the next event.”

==========

Rey pulled off her goggles violently, her heart still pounding too loudly for her to hear her own thoughts. She wiped the water off her face and chanced a look at the scoreboard.

A large, red “1” gleamed next to “USA.”

Rey’s lips stretched into a wide grin. Still gasping for air, she climbed out of the pool and pulled her teammates in for a tight group hug. They’ve done it!

“Terrific job, guys!” she wheezed to the rest of her teammates. 

Finn whooped with glee and Rose clapped her on the back. Even Kylo, who was famous for being constantly inexpressive, carried a warm smile. His eyes shone brightly with joy and relief, as if a burden has been completely lifted from his shoulders.

Rey tried to force her heart to calm down, as her teammates continued to celebrate. She had another race in twenty minutes, so she could not afford to exhaust too much energy.

Suddenly, Finn’s smile slipped off his face. Rey turned around to face the same direction he was, catching sight of the head official walking towards them.

That was never a good sign.

Rose halted her jubilant jumping, while Kylo’s gaze turned to ice. 

“Team USA, right?” the official called out to them. The four swimmers barely nodded, still paralyzed in fear.

“And you are Rey Johnson?” the official put down her clipboard by her side, pointing her pen at Rey. Rey nodded, her eyes further widening in fear.

The official straightened her uniform. “I’m sorry, but your team has been disqualified in this race. Our video footage has determined that Ms. Johnson dove in one hundredth of a second too early during her relay exchange after Mr. Ren’s 100 meters.”

Four jaws dropped in unison.

“I’m sorry that I had to be the one to tell you this, but team USA is officially disqualified and no longer the gold medal recipient of this race. We wish you the best in your remaining events!” 

Upon completion of communicating her statement, the official turned around and walked towards the side of the pool, whispering her final confirmations to media reporters and the head commentator as well.

“Team USA has been disqualified for an illegal relay exchange,” the commentator’s voice boomed, “so that moves Singapore to third place, Mexico to second place, and the United Kingdom to first place. Congratulations to all three teams, and we will proceed with our next event shortly.”

==========

The walk back to the locker room was the longest walk of Rey’s life. Sure, Rey had lost many races and been disqualified before - all swimmers went through it at some point in their careers. But this was _different_. 

This was a race on swimming’s biggest stage, the Olympics! Furthermore, this was a relay with three other teammates, who she had all just majorly let down tonight. Not to mention, she disappointed her whole country, lost out on their gold medal, and discontinued USA’s streak in this event.

And - oh no. She had also ruined Kylo’s chance of breaking the all-time total medal count tonight. Rey knew that breaking the record meant a lot to him, and she had no idea what was coursing through his mind right now. It was all her fault.

Rey bowed her head down as she continued her walk of shame. Her hands hung limply by her sides, and she barely had the energy to hold on to the cap and goggles clinging in her hand. The cap that openly mocked her right now, boldly displaying the flag of the nation she had just let down.

Rose and Finn walked on Rey’s two sides, shielding her from all the paparazzi and inquisitive reporters. She was immensely grateful for her two best friends. 

Seriously, one hundredth of a second! That was the tiniest possible margin the pool’s clock could measure. 

Guilt violently clawed through her heart, completely overwhelming her mind and overshadowing her need to prepare for her next race in fifteen minutes. Rey’s body was completely acting on autopilot at the moment. She quickly dried herself and sipped her water, then grabbed another towel.

Barely three steps out of the locker room, Rey was suddenly tugged into another room. 

“OW!” she yelped in pain, tears prickling the edges of her eyes. She quickly tried to soothe her right arm. It would not bode well for her upcoming race if her arm was tweaked or injured in any method. “What the hell was that?”

“ _What the hell was that?_ ” the looming figure beside her growled. “Are you sure you should be the one asking that?”

Rey blinked. The remnant tears vanished, and the tall outline of Kylo Ren came into clear view.

He looked - well, furious wouldn’t even be close to cutting it. She gulped.

“You - you cost me a MEDAL!” Kylo bellowed. 

“You knew perfectly well how hard I’ve been working towards this moment, for this eighteenth medal! I could have been happy with any medal, literally ANY MEDAL!”

“Those two minutes after we supposedly ‘won’?” Kylo scoffed. “Those were the two happiest minutes of my life. I felt like everything in my life has been complete. I finally beat my - Luke Skywalker.”

“But, no! You got us disqualified! Not bronze, not silver, not gold, DISQUALIFIED!” 

Rey’s lip quivered. She vigorously tried to blink back the tears creeping back into her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she apologized, hastily. “I’m really sorry, Kylo. It was one hundredth of a second! I know I let down the team -”

“Let down?” He stared back at Rey as if she were crazy. “Let down is the understatement of the century.”

Kylo glanced down at the cap and goggles that Rey was clutching in her hand. He gestured for her to open her palm, which she did instinctively under his intimidating glare.

“You see this American flag right here?” he pointed to the rectangular shape prominently displayed on the black silicone cap. “This is a reminder that you swim for the United States of America.” 

“We are supposed to make AMERICA PROUD! But tonight you certainly didn’t swim like it.” 

“I don’t care if you’re a rookie, the media’s darling breakout star, or whatnot - you ruined this for ME!” 

With his last cry, Kylo hurled Rey’s cap and goggles into the wall, turned, and slammed the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, I’m reylocalligraphy! I post calligraphy of Reylo/Star Wars quotes and fanfic on Tumblr ([@reylocalligraphy](https://reylocalligraphy.tumblr.com)), and now I’ve ventured over to writing Reylo too. This is my first Reylo fic, I’m very excited. Come say hi to me on Tumblr :) 
> 
> A big shoutout to [Dalzo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dalzo/pseuds/Dalzo) and [Kylohhh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kylohhh/pseuds/Kylohhh) for being the greatest Tumblr friends, always supporting my calligraphy, and encouraging me to write Reylo. Thank you for being so supportive at every step of the way, you guys are the best. Also go read their fics! I promise you won't be disappointed. 
> 
> Lastly, a _massive_ thank you to [SageMcMae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SageMcMae/pseuds/SageMcMae) for beta’ing this chapter. She also writes incredible Reylo fic, please go read her stories. And she made this beautiful moodboard below!!


	2. A Snap and A Slide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo and Rey have a nicer talk. Rey swims her individual event. The Rey Pain Train continues.

  


Slamming the door behind him, Kylo stomped away from whatever room he had pulled Rey into. Adrenaline and anger alike flowed through his blood.

 

 _Seriously, who was this girl?_ Aside from seeing her dominate the headlines for weeks - or maybe the whole Olympic year now - Kylo really wondered who Rey Johnson was. She swam with an experienced poise and an unceasing hunger to _win_ that most athletes lacked at her age.

 

Yet,  Kylo never expected her to dive in early and get the whole team disqualified. Sure she was a rookie, but for her to commit a true rookie mistake was so contrary to her mature finesse.

 

Okay, perhaps he was _a little_ harsh in his words to Rey just now. It was by the tiniest fraction of measurable time that she cost their team the medal - the medal that should have given him the opportunity to _beat his uncle!_

 

With his hands by his side, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and rubbed his fingers together to calm himself down.

 

He strolled back to the men’s locker room, nearly stumbling into one of his teammates as he entered. He caught himself before he could run over Finn, halting a few scarce inches from the other man’s face.

 

“Kylo,” Finn breathlessly whispered, “I know you probably really don’t want to talk about her right now, but any chance you know where the hell Rey is?”

 

“I  - what? Yeah, I just saw her-”

 

“Really, you did? Oh, thank GOODNESS! Her next event’s coming up in -” Finn stopped to quickly check his phone, “-eight minutes. She’s missing in the prep room and everyone’s going nuts looking for her.”

 

“Wait, she has another event?” Kylo whispered in horror. _Oh no..._

 

“Uh, I know where she is. I’ll grab her and make sure she goes to the prep room soon.”

 

Finn gave him an uneasy smile. “Okay, great. Thanks Kylo!”

 

Kylo hurriedly stuffed his swimming gear and equipment into his backpack. Draping his backpack over his right shoulder, he rushed back to the room he had just left Rey in. The door was still shut, but light peeked out from underneath.

 

 _Should I knock?_ He wondered. _There’s no time, I’m just gonna go in._

 

Kylo lightly nudged the door open. The back of Rey’s navy blue parka greeted him. He could hear what was unmistakably her sniffling softly.

 

“... Rey?” he hesitantly asked, the word lingering in the space between them. “You have an event coming up.”

 

More sniffling continued.

 

“In, like, eight minutes.”

 

At this declaration, Rey turned around to face him. Her eyelids were puffy and red, and tears dotted her face. Her hair, usually impeccably tied up in three buns, was let down and loose. Water dripped from her tangled, chaotic tresses onto the ground.

 

Kylo’s gaze dropped down to her hands. Her left hand clutched onto the cap he had used to mock her earlier, and - _oh no_.

 

The goggles hung limply in her fingers. The nose bridge was cleanly snapped off, causing one of the lenses to have separated from the other. It was clear her goggles were unfixable.

 

Kylo’s jaw dropped. His mind swirled with guilt and remorse, but his mouth wasn’t on the same page as his mind.

 

“Your goggles are broken,” he blurted out.

 

Rey scoffed. “Clearly!” She took two steps closer so she was right up in Kylo’s face. “And you’re the reason why they’re broken!” she prodded angrily at his chest.

 

“I - what? _How is it my fault?_ ”

 

“You were the one who threw them at the WALL!” Rey slapped Kylo’s chest with her broken goggles.

 

Right, this really was all his fault. If only he had controlled his temper a tad bit…

 

“Kriff, I’m sorry,” Kylo hastily apologized, “and I genuinely mean it. I didn’t think through my actions, and I didn’t know you had another event right after.”

 

“Damn right, you’re sorry!” Rey screeched, her whole body shaking with fury. “You dare mock me? Who are you to tell me that I’m not putting my heart in swimming for this country, and ruin my chances like that -”

 

“I’m truly sorry, Rey,” he reiterated as he cut her off. “But we simply don’t have time. I’ll let you yell at me all you want after your race! You really need to go.”

 

Rey looked down at the ground.

 

“I can’t do it.” The tiniest whisper faintly came out of her mouth, but Kylo still caught it.

 

“What???”

 

“Just look at me, Kylo! I’m an emotional wreck right now. I’m crying, my mind is a mess, I haven’t warmed up at all. _I don’t even have goggles because these were my lucky pair and I only brought one which was really stupid of me_ -”

 

“Listen to me,” Kylo placed both his hands on Rey’s shoulders, halting her panicking stream of words. He gazed down at her, right into Rey’s wide, watery eyes.

 

“You’re an amazing swimmer, Rey. You’re not just swimming for yourself out there, you’re representing your nation, which is already so proud of you. Don’t think of the record, the medals, or the media. Just go out there and have fun. Okay?”

 

Rey went still for a few seconds, before hesitantly nodding. “Okay,” she breathed out.

 

The corners of Kylo’s lips tugged into a small grin.

 

“Great. Come on, let’s get you to your race!” he cheered. “Uh, you might need to clean up a bit first. Wipe your face with your towel right there - yeah - and I’ll lend you my goggles. Do you want me to do your hair too?”

 

==========

 

Literally pushed by Kylo the whole way there, Rey stumbled into the preparation room with merely five minutes before she had to enter the swimming pool. Everyone immediately stopped what they were doing to turn around and stare at her.

 

The official heaved a huge sigh of relief.

 

She ignored the many pairs of eyes on her. Rey was extremely grateful that she currently sported her entire swimming getup as she entered the room, even though that strayed from her usual routine. She already had her cap on, and even her parka’s hood was raised over her head. All of which was done to make her feel more hidden.

 

Attention and judgment from others was the last thing she needed right now.

 

Kylo’s tinted, silver goggles had been placed over her eyes so nobody could see the clear evidence of her recent crying.

 

It was puzzling to think of Kylo, given her two very different interactions with him in just the last fifteen minutes alone. One moment, he was a raging monster who slung her goggles into the wall. Another moment, he quickly fashioned her knotted hair into a neat swimmer’s bun and helped her put on her tight silicon cap, even carefully tucking in loose strands.

 

Rey shook her head to clear her thoughts. Now was not the time to tread into that territory. She needed to focus on her event.

 

_Wait, was it the 100-meter freestyle? Yes it was.  Oh gosh, this is gonna be a rough event._

 

==========

 

“And we’re back with what many believe to be the most anticipated individual event of the night - the women’s 100-meter freestyle final! Rian, what are you most excited about?”

 

“Oh, Kathleen, there are so many wonderful stories hidden within this group of eight amazing ladies! Of course, the biggest story lies with American swimmer Rey Johnson. Is this the race where she breaks the rookie gold medal record?”

 

“Right! She had her chance earlier this evening in the mixed 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay, when team USA touched first. But no! In a stunning turn of events, they were disqualified due to Johnson’s relay exchange. She dove in too early by just one hundredth of a second!”

 

“I sure hope that Johnson bounces back from it!”

 

“Certainly, Rian. Alongside Johnson, a few other women who also just swam in tonight’s relay - Phasma, Kanata, and Pava - headline the rest of the field.”

 

“Wow, that’s certainly quite a group of amazing women to watch! I can’t wait for the event to start, Kathleen!”

 

==========

 

“In lane four, from the United States of America, REY JOHNSON!” The announcer’s voice boomed around the arena, as Rey walked into the poolside. She gave a small wave to the crowd, who clearly enjoyed her reaction because they bestowed her an enormous roar of appreciation in response.

 

Throughout all the pomp and circumstance, Kylo’s large goggles remained glued to her face. She may seem confident on the outside, but on the inside she was anything but. She wiped her sweaty palms on her parka, taking deep breaths to calm herself down.

 

It was merely a 100-meter freestyle race. _Just one lap down there and back_ , she reassured herself. _You can do this. You’ve done this a million times before._

 

Nevertheless, she could not pacify the nerves coursing through her veins. As she unzipped her thick parka with shaky hands, she glanced to her both sides to take a quick glimpse of the swimmers in her adjacent lanes.

 

 _Phasma and Pava, of course_. Both worthy opponents who had competed against her in the last leg of the relay earlier.

 

Rey shook her head. She shouldn’t be focusing on her opponents; she should only concentrate on herself. She moved forward to perform her usual warm-up routine, kneeling onto the ground beside the diving block and splashing the pool water onto her face. _One, two, three, four - wait, did I skip one? Did I already do five splashes?_

 

She mentally groaned. Rey was out of sorts in all forms before her race, which never boded well. She decided to just continue with her usual routine, bouncing up and down to mollify her jitters.

 

A long, shrill whistle rippled through the air, signifying it was time to step onto the diving blocks. Rey swallowed thickly and prayed for a smooth race.

 

She naturally clawed for the gold medal her mind supplied. But at this point in time, given all that she had experienced within the last twenty minutes - partaking in the worst race of her career, crying her heart out, losing her lucky pair of goggles, and hastily rushing to the prep room before the race - Rey no longer felt certain in a victory.

 

The buzzer sounded. The eight women frantically dove in, disrupting the tranquility of the still water.

 

==========

 

It took about 1.2 seconds for Rey to know she was screwed.

 

As her body entered the depths of the cool water, she felt the goggles on her head twist and loosen from the impact of hitting the surface.

 

 _Krifffffffffffff,_ Rey cursed inwardly. She was borrowing Kylo’s goggles, which were obviously adjusted to fit his head. His head was larger in diameter than hers. How could she have forgotten to tweak the straps to fit her head?

 

Well, she certainly was paying for this unforgivable mistake.

 

Gradually, one of the lens popped off. Five meters later, the second lens followed.

 

Rey tried to ignore the water eagerly streaming into the goggles and pricking her eyes. As her fingers finally penetrated the surface, she took her first stroke, bending her elbow underwater and pushing her palm behind her. She continued to do so rhythmically, one hard stroke after another, until she needed to take a quick breath.

 

She swivelled her head to the side to gasp for air. In doing so, the goggles slipped off her face and now hung around her neck, dragging limply through the water.

 

 _This night just cannot get worse_ , Rey bitterly thought to herself.

 

==========

 

“The race is off! All eight women have dove in, with Singapore’s Jessika Pava off to a rapid start!”

 

“She bolted off that diving block like a rocket, Kathleen! Did you see Pava’s beautiful underwaters?”

 

“I certainly did, Rian. The United Kingdom's Gwen Phasma has inched ahead for the lead at the quarter mark of this race, the rest of the field closely behind. America’s Rey Johnson seems to be… falling behind?”

 

“She is? Oh dear! Kathleen, I think Rey’s goggles have fallen off!”

 

“What?” Kathleen’s jaw dropped at the monitor in front of her, when the camera zoomed in on Rey. Her face was completely bare.

 

“Indeed, Johnson’s goggles have slid off her face, and she is now swimming without them.”

 

“Terrible, just awful for her! In her best event too…”

 

“We’re at the halfway point now. Phasma turns first, Pava closely behind, and Kanata third. Johnson hits the wall at sixth.”

 

==========

 

Rey shut her eyes and counted her strokes for the rest of the race. When her feet hit the wall to turn, she opened her eyes to glimpse how she fared compared to the rest of the field. She was only met with a hazy vision of water.

 

She put her head down and kicked hard, until she could no longer feel her legs. Rey furiously pushed at the water, willing her body to swim faster. Her lungs were in so much pain it felt as though they were ripping apart, weeping and pleading for oxygen.

 

Finally, she could sense the wall inching closer. _One, two, three, I’m there!_

 

Rey threw her hand at the rubber touchpad on the wall, not even caring that she might jam her fingers. She just wanted the race to be over.

 

She lifted her head out of the water, taking deep gulps of fresh air. Rey massaged her eyelids, soothing them after suffering the naked onslaught of chlorinated water.

 

Grasping the straps of Kylo’s goggles, the tormentor of her entire race, she pulled them off her neck and over her head, before flinging them onto the edge of the pool in a rage.

 

With her heartbeat still loudly ringing in her ears, Rey finally turned to face the inevitable - the results on the scoreboard.

 

==========

 

“In an incredibly tight ending, Gwen Phasma wins gold in the women’s 100-meter freestyle with a time of 52.06! Jessika Pava slides into the wall right after her for silver, clocking in at 52.34.”

 

“Oh goodness! Kathleen, did you see that? What a comeback from young Australian phenom Ruby Dolžanii, all the way at the other side of the pool in lane eight, who came out of nowhere to steal the bronze!”

 

“I did see it, Rian. I certainly did not expect that at all. And take this - she out-touched Rey Johnson by _three hundredths of a second_. Wow!”

 

“Aw man, tonight just isn’t the night for Rey. My heart goes to her, first a disqualification, then losing her goggles AND being out-touched? But major congratulations to Phasma, Pava, and Dolžanii tonight in an incredible close race!”

 

==========

 

After squinting long and hard, the scoreboard finally came into clear focus.

 

Rey shook her head and blinked. No way that the number next to “Johnson, Rey” was a “4.”

 

She peered again. The tiny, red “4” still remained.

 

Rey sunk back into the water and blew bubbles into the water with exasperation. She kicked back up to the surface and peeked at the results yet again.

 

This time, the “4” danced in her vision, scornfully mocking her for her failure. She didn’t even win a medal, much less gold.

 

After bestowing Phasma and Pava each congratulatory handshakes, Rey weakly clambered out of the pool. Absolutely disheartened, she bowed her head down as she stepped towards the pool exit.

 

She honestly should have fled sooner, because Rey felt a finger lightly tap her shoulder. She turned around and was suddenly confronted with a massive camera.

 

A microphone was shoved into her face.

 

“So, Rey! How do you feel about your two performances tonight, neither of which you medalled in?”

 

Rey breathed out through her nose. She really was not in a mood for an interview right now, especially from the infamous reporter C. T. Peal, but it was too late to decline.

 

If she were honest about how she was feeling, she would exclaim “Well, I currently really want to punch you and the camera!” But Rey had no energy to deal with even more backlash she may cause with a cheeky answer, so she delivered a truthful response.

 

“Well, I’m certainly disappointed in myself, C. T. This definitely was not how I expected the night to go,” Rey weakly replied, untying the tight, wet bun resting on the top of her head. “But it’s less about me, and more about the other competitors. All those other women were absolutely fantastic tonight. I have so much respect for everyone, and major kudos to Phasma, Pava, and Dolžanii!”

 

It was clear to the interviewer that Rey was trying to draw attention away from herself by explicitly mentioning her competitors, but C. T. Peal was never one to back down from a challenge, nor was he one to give up. He was notorious in sports media for a reason - relentless and persistent, talkative to a point that sometimes he could annoy an athlete into giving the response he sought.

 

“Absolutely, Rey! The other women were all great, of course!” C. T. repeated with fake enthusiasm. “I still want to know more about what’s going through your mind right now. How did you react earlier when you found out Team USA was disqualified due to your faulty relay dive?”

 

Rey grimaced. She tried to squash down the agitation bubbling up within her.

 

“It was a very disconcerting moment, that’s for sure,” Rey carefully worded. “I felt that I had let down my teammates on the world’s biggest stage. But we will come back stronger and better in our relay tomorrow.”

 

“Alright, let’s move on to your most recent race then! You’ve previously referred to the 100-meter freestyle as your best event, correct?”

 

Rey nodded in relief. This was a question she could answer. “I’d like to think so, yes, and certainly my favorite event!”

 

“Wonderful!” C. T. clamored cheerfully as he patted down his shiny, golden blazer. “What was the first thing you thought of when you realized you placed fourth, just barely off the medal podium? Especially given that you were one gold medal away from breaking Ahsoka Tano’s record?”

 

Her inner frustration finally boiled over as a deep scowl flickered on Rey’s face.

 

“I’m sorry, C. T., I really can’t do this right now,” she stated honestly. “It’s been a long night. Congratulations to all my competitors, and thank you to everyone supporting me! I’ll see you tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Rey Pain Train continues!!! Oh dear… I promise things will get better very soon.
> 
> Reference image for [Rey’s broken goggles](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xPOhVLSjAfg/VaUv2TwE-xI/AAAAAAAAA4g/xkm5PGCQixI/s1600/halo.JPG)
> 
> All characters in this fic are taken from the Star Wars universe, except for one (who is a very special someone). In case it wasn’t obvious, the relentless, irritating interviewer C. T. Peal is C3PO! 
> 
> Excluding Rey and Finn for plot purposes, all swimmers’ nationalities in this fic are matched with their respective actors’ origins. For example: Diego Luna is Mexican, so Cassian Andor is Mexican in this fic. It was difficult finding actors not from UK or USA, so Jessika Pava swims for Singapore since Jessica Henwick is part Singaporean.
> 
> Thank you so much to my Tumblr bestie [@Dalzonii](https://dalzonii.tumblr.com) for her AMAZING manipulation/art created for this fic. Please go check it out **[here](http://dalzonii.tumblr.com/post/175950996873/make-a-splash-reylocalligraphy-olympic)**!!! She’s so amazing that I had to give her a cameo in this fic too, which she agreed to - as the amazing Ruby Dolžanii. Dolžanii is not her real last name, merely a play on words on her Tumblr username. She also just updated her groundbreakingly extraordinary fic [Of Particular Salience](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13009584/chapters/29750175), go read it!
> 
> A huge thank you to my amazing beta [Sage McMae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SageMcMae/pseuds/SageMcMae), who never fails to make my writing infinitely better! Go check out her stories [Same Eyes, Different People](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13708050/chapters/31488963), [Hit Me With Your Best Shot](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13249611/chapters/30308949), and other amazing fics!
> 
> Come say hi to me on Tumblr [@reylocalligraphy](https://reylocalligraphy.tumblr.com)! I also post calligraphy of Reylo/Star Wars quotes and fanfic on my blog. 
> 
> Kudos and comments are worth a million hugs <3


	3. Dawn of a New Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After her disastrous night of competing, Rey eats a lot of food and has two very different encounters with Kylo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big hug to my wonderful beta [SageMcMae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SageMcMae/pseuds/SageMcMae)! She is a brilliant writer and an even kinder human being. She turned this around in two hours, I am not kidding. _TWO. HOURS!_
> 
> It's not often my moodboard can include an actual setting photo from Star Wars... So I am very pleased that Cloud City perfectly fits this one. Enjoy Chapter 3 :)

  


The Olympics were a venue to encourage athletes and inspire individuals - the youth and elderly alike - to appreciate the fun intensity and dynamic of sports. They were a convening ground for celebration of talent and skill.

 

Right now, no part of Rey wanted to celebrate. Deep through her bones, all she could sense was immense fatigue.

 

Her stomach growled. Okay, maybe there was some lingering hunger too.

 

She engulfed herself in her giant, fluffy orange towel. The soft material had been soaked in water, sweat, and tears. She ripped off her swimsuit, choosing just to pull on a hoodie and baggy plaid sweatpants over her underwear. She slid her water bottle inside the massive hoodie pocket. Then, Rey carelessly threw in all her equipment - including Kylo’s damn goggles - into her backpack and exited the arena.

 

It seemed that the universe finally took mercy on her. Seconds after her feet carried her to the bus stop, the Olympic Village transfer bus immediately appeared in front of her.

 

Slumping against the plastic chair with her head down, she endured the ride in solitary silence.

 

Every nerve in Rey’s body felt numb. Her mind cleared to a blank slate, her empty gaze solemnly trained on the ground. She did not want to think about _anything_ that had occurred during her disastrous evening, nor did she want to ponder ahead to her last race tomorrow.

 

Finally, the bus sputtered to a stop in front of the village’s main dining hall. Rey briskly stepped off the platform; food was something that never failed to cheer her up .

 

A scene of loud jostling, cheers, and laughs greeted Rey. Athletes from all nations and sports gathered here throughout the day and night.

 

She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. The enticing aroma of meats and fried foods wafted into her nose. _Wonderful._

 

Junk food was exactly what Rey needed right now. She piled her plate with Tater Tots, French Fries, and numerous slices of roast chicken, the skin crisp and golden brown. Then, she carefully picked up a perfectly constructed double cheeseburger with the silver tongs, completing her late night unhealthy food binge with a spoonful of ketchup on the side.

 

Her conscience itched as she gazed down at her tray, so Rey decided to stack some lettuce leaves on top of everything else. She was still happily humming at the prospect of so much delicious food.

 

A distant shout broke through her reverie. “REY?”

 

She spun around with as much speed as she could muster without causing her mountain of food to topple.

 

Her eyes met her American teammate and friend Poe Dameron’s worried look.

 

“Hey Rey!” The concern on Poe’s face washed away, instantly replaced by easygoing happiness. “We were wondering where you were, since we didn’t find you in the media rooms. Rose, Finn, and I are eating together, would you like to join us?”

 

Rey nodded, her heart racing both in excitement at seeing all her closest friends again, but also in nervousness from confronting two teammates she let down in the relay earlier. She followed Poe, weaving through the hectic dining hall, to a quieter corner of the cafeteria.

 

Rose waved eagerly at her best friend. “Hi Rey!!!!!!”

 

Rey seriously wondered how Rose stayed so perpetually energetic. She returned a greeting with a faint smile as she sat down.

 

“Hey Rey,” Finn spoke in a low tone. “We, uh, saw your race just now. We’re really sorry about your goggles… That’s the worst accident to happen -”

 

He yelped in pain as Rose elbowed his ribs and Poe kicked him underneath the table.

 

“What?” Finn hissed, as he soothed his left ribs and his right shin. Rose and Poe administered Finn dual glares, as Finn suddenly recalled Rose’s words to him earlier.

 

“Oh… we weren’t supposed to talk about that. Right. Sorry!” Finn sheepishly whispered.

 

Rey rolled her eyes. “I’m not a fragile piece of peanut brittle,” she responded, stabbing three Tater Tots with her fork. “I know I had a disastrous night, in both events.”

 

“Rose, Finn,” she turned to address those two teammates specifically. “I’m so sorry I let you guys down in the relay. I committed an extremely rookie mistake and it cost our team.”

 

“Rey…” Finn trailed off, unsure how to respond.

 

Fortunately, Rose completed his thought for him. “Rey, we’re teammates through and through. We stick together. Your mistake is our mistake, and we all make mistakes!”

 

Finn nodded in affirmation. “Plus, that race is over already! You should focus on your relay for tomorrow instead, Rey.”

 

“Yeah!” Poe chimed in. “Rose and I are on the relay with you tomorrow, so we’ll be together to watch you break that record! Uh, I mean -”

 

Rose buried her face in her palms. “We’re not supposed to give her more pressure,” she seethed at the two men. “What Poe means is that we’ll definitely be there to support you, all of tomorrow!”

 

Rey still felt unease from her two horrible performances tonight, but her lips stretched into a grateful smile. “Thanks guys, I don’t know what I’d do without you all. But I really need to eat my food!”

 

Her friends all laughed, watching her wolf down her burger in thirty seconds flat.

 

 

==========

 

 

Rey’s spirits were much more uplifted after dinner with her friends. With her water bottle in her left hand, she tiptoed through the hotel hallways, not wanting to disturb any athletes at such a late hour.

 

That concern flew out the window when she walked right into the brick wall that was Kylo Ren.

 

“Rey,” he greeted with a look that mixed surprise and nervousness. “I saw your race -”

 

“You,” she growled in return.

 

“You - cost - me - my - race!” Rey shrieked furiously, punctuating every word with a light punch at his chest.

 

Kylo seemed unfazed at the sensation of Rey’s fist hurtling at his torso. “Well, technically I did not exactly cost you your race.”

 

“You broke my goggles! Of course you did! And your goggles were too big! Well, I guess that was my fault for not adjusting them, but you still _broke my goggles in the first place!_ ”

 

“Ah, I did -”

 

He gasped in utter shock. Rey had uncorked her water bottle cap and heaved all the water in the container at him.

 

Water drenched his hair and t-shirt, slowly trickling down through his sweatpants and shoes and onto the hotel rug. Kylo stood completely still, shivering underneath the air conditioner’s winds.

 

Rey, too, was astonished at her own actions. Her mouth formed a perfect, circular “O” as her bulging eyes roamed over the consequence of her action.

 

She clenched her lips, huffed in exasperation, and walked right past him.

 

 

==========

 

 

A twenty-minute scalding shower did nothing to ameliorate Rey’s inner turmoil. She climbed into her bed and stared into the ceiling, recounting her night within her mind.

 

Rey had entered the night with high hopes of breaking Ahsoka’s gold medal total. Then, she dived in too early when it was her relay turn, disqualifying USA’s chance at gold. Kylo berated her, shattered her goggles, but also apologized soon after and helped bring up her spirits again for her next race - he even lent her his own goggles, something professional swimmers never do!

 

But she didn’t check the goggles’ fit, so _of course_ they slid off during her best individual race. The dinner was nice, but encountering Kylo wrecked Rey’s happy emotions again.

 

Did ... did she really dump water on him?

 

She internally facepalmed. Rationally, she knew that her loss was not completely his fault. Yes, he threw her off her routine in destroying her goggles, which he most definitely should not have done. But Rey did not step up to be the Olympic athlete she should be - _always ready_.

 

She should have brought more than one pair of goggles with her. Goodness knows, even six-year-old swimmers are told to bring at least two to every competition. When Kylo lent her his goggles, Rey should have fixed them to fit her head.

 

Instead, she let her previous event distract her. Lying on her back, Rey closed her eyes and took deep breaths, calming her soul and attempting to shift her focus to tomorrow.

 

But guilt still crept up, as the scene of Kylo, standing in the hallway, being doused in water replayed in her mind over and over. Rey sighed, tossing onto her left side. She really was not thinking reasonably earlier and owed Kylo an apology.

 

She reached for her phone. The screen glowed, showing “12:03 AM.”

 

Rey groaned and flipped back onto her mattress. Sleep was going to be her mortal enemy tonight, it would seem.

 

 

==========

 

 

Four hours of unsettled sleep later, Rey’s eyes fluttered open.

 

Her mind was wide awake, but her body was not. With a loud yawn, she sat up and decided to grab some coffee.

 

She pulled her Team USA jacket over her baggy sleeping shirt. With half-open eyelids, she washed her face and brushed her teeth.

 

Her feet automatically carried her through the hallways to the hotel breakfast area, where coffee was served 24/7. _Thank goodness for that_.

 

“You done with that?” she groggily mumbled at the back of the athlete using the coffee machine.

 

The athlete spun around. “Rey? Why are you up so early?”

 

Rey rubbed her eyelids. Her vision cleared to show that the man in front of her was, indeed, the person she least desired to talk to right now. _Why is the universe being so cruel to me?_

 

“I’m here for the coffee, just like you,” she deadpanned, shoving Kylo aside as he clearly was no longer using the machine. After a few punches of the digital buttons, her body heaved in relief, as fresh coffee started to squeeze into a new mug.

 

“You - you have a relay today!” Kylo whispered in concern.

 

“And you don’t?”

 

Kylo grimaced. “Touché,” he conceded, “but I’m still really worried for you. After your double events last night, you definitely need more than, what, four hours of sleep?”

 

“Look, Kylo,” Rey slurred sleepily. “I’m still mad at you. Or am I? I don’t know anymore. I’m too tired to yell at you right now, that’s for sure…”

 

The machine chirped. “Ah, finally!” Rey breathed in the rich, invigorating aroma of the dark brown liquid. It seemed to unlock something within her soul, something warm and comforting.

 

She promptly drained half the cup.

 

Rey could feel the caffeine coursing through her veins. _You should apologize for yelling at him and spilling water on him_ , her awakened inner conscience reminded her.

 

“Do you want to go somewhere else to talk?” Kylo quietly inquired, scratching the back of his neck. “We can go to the roof to watch the sunrise, if you’d like.”

 

Rey glanced up from her beloved drink, cocking her head to the side.

 

“Alright,” she agreed, after a minute of silence. “Let’s go.”

 

 

==========

 

 

“So, you watch the sunrise here often? How did you know about this secret spot?” Rey asked curiously, her eyes roaming the roof, barren and gray except for their two reclining chairs.

 

Kylo, still standing, bent down to adjust the angle of his chair.

 

“No, not really,” he answered before pausing. “I just thought it might be a good place to talk.”

 

“Okay…” Rey trailed off, seeing that Kylo wasn’t going to provide her a straightforward answer.

 

The two athletes leaned back on their chairs, peacefully observing the sky, a midnight blue canvas splashed with scarlet and orange linings. Golden beams reflected off skyscrapers in the far distance.

 

“So, who are you exactly?” Kylo inquired. “Beyond being the girl I’ve heard so much about?”

 

Rey swiveled her head to meet Kylo’s questioning gaze.

 

“I’m a nobody, really,” she mumbled. “Just a nobody who liked to swim.”

 

Kylo pursed his lips in thought. “Hmm, I’m sure there’s more to you than that. Where did you come from?”

 

“Jakku.”

 

Kylo raised his eyebrows. “Jakku?” he repeated with bulging eyes. “The desert town?”

 

“Yeah, that one. It’s basically nowhere.”

 

He hummed his agreement to Rey’s statement. “Does Jakku even have swimming pools?”

 

The color drained from Rey’s face. “Well - um - no,” she stammered uneasily, eyes firmly jerked back to the vast expanse of the sky. “When I was really young, my parents introduced me to the water. And I absolutely loved it; those were my happiest childhood memories.”

 

“That’s wonderful,” Kylo commented.

 

“Shortly after I turned eight, they abandoned me on Jakku. With no home, no relatives, no money,” Rey spoke quietly.

 

Kylo inhaled sharply at her admission.

 

“Jakku was absolutely awful. There was nothing there; _absolutely nothing_. So I went to school and toiled every morning and night to get out of that hellhole.” She felt a thickness in her throat. “I finally got out of there when I was sixteen. I got a scholarship to Crait University to study mechanical engineering.”

 

Rey sniffled, rapidly wiping away the tears threatening to well up beneath her eyelids. She despised showing weakness, especially in the presence of a man that was her - what, ultimate nemesis? - mere hours ago.

 

“I joined Crait’s swim team as a walk on. I just wanted to feel the water again, after not touching it for so many years.”

 

Rey closed her eyes, the pleasant memory of dipping her toes into the warm, gentle ripples of the pool water for the first time in eight years drifting to the front of her mind. The corners of her lips tugged upwards.

 

“Then Coach Holdo invited me to join their varsity team. She was the assistant coach of our women’s team at the time. Now, she’s the head coach. It’s pretty amazing, to see how far along she’s come, coaching the national team at the Olympics!”

 

“It turned out, I do have some talent in the water,” Rey said with a faraway look. “And Amilyn was an incredible coach, and I love my college teammates. So I kept setting goals for myself, improving, and here I am.”

 

Kylo was surprised at how invested he was in her storytelling. “That’s truly impressive, for your rise to be so fast, and how you overcame everything to get to where you are, Rey. You’re the most courageous and hardworking person I’ve ever met.”

 

Rey’s cheeks tinted at the praise. “So what about you?” She cleared her throat, deflecting the attention back to Kylo. “What’s your story, golden boy?”

 

Kylo’s gaze pierced forward like narrow daggers. “There’s not much to tell,” he gritted out.

 

“Alright, _Kylo Ren_ ,” Rey fired back. “If I, someone from Jakku, had a story to tell, you certainly have one too. And there’s _no way_ that’s your real name.”

 

“I made that name when I was foolish and seventeen,” he revealed, shaking his head at his younger self’s antics. “I thought ‘Kylo’ would be a cool name and what not. I was wrong.”

 

Rey gestured for him to continue his story. Kylo bit his lip - which were very plush and soft, she noted - before hesitantly nodding. He decided to drop all the major bombshells at once.

 

“My real name is Ben Solo. My mother is Leia Organa, my father is Han Solo, and my uncle is Luke Skywalker.”

 

Rey’s hand flew to her mouth to muffle her startled gasp. “Are you serious?” Rey asked, gobsmacked. “You’re related to THE Luke Skywalker?”

“That’s - that’s what you took away from it? I mean, you’re a swimmer, of course that’s the name that stood out to you -”

 

“No, I’m sorry,” Rey interrupted. “I should have been more respectful, less instinctive. Please continue your story.”

 

Kylo turned to meet her apologetic gaze, her hazel eyes glittering with fascination, before continuing with his tale. “Since my uncle was a legendary swimmer, I learned how to swim at a very young age - and I really loved it,” he spoke quietly. “My mother was a Senator, while my father was a pilot, so neither of them were home a lot.”

 

“I started having anger issues from all the loneliness I faced. Swimming turned out to be an outlet for that; once I dove into the water, I forgot about everything that was happening outside the pool.”

 

Rey murmured an affirmation. She absolutely understood that, the feeling of entering another world and briefly forgetting about reality once immersed underwater.

 

“Luke was my coach, from when I began to waddle as a toddler all the way until I turned seventeen. He was a good coach, an excellent swimmer of course, but we disagreed on many things. He berated me for swimming with so much anger, so much emotion - he believed in always swimming a peaceful, mindful race.”

 

“I qualified for the 2016 Olympic Trials, the year that I turned seventeen. Luke didn’t think I was ready for such a big competition, given how many squabbles we’ve had leading up to Trials.”

 

Kylo cracked his knuckles at retelling this part, his nostrils flaring in fury. “He went behind my back and withdrew my agreement to swim at Trials, something that I found out about only two days before it started. By the time I realized what he had done, it was too late to re-enter.”

 

Rey’s mouth slackened at this revelation. His uncle had betrayed him and took away his opportunity to swim on the nation’s biggest stage? “No wonder you were so mad yesterday - you were so close to breaking his record!” she exclaimed, her mind connecting the dots. Then, her tone became more solemn. “Once again, I’m really sorry for messing up.”

 

“No, please don’t apologize anymore.” Kylo furiously shook his head. “Things always happen that don’t turn out the way we expect. Most importantly, we work together as a team.”

 

“I should be the one apologizing, Rey. I lost my temper, unfairly shouted at you - perhaps something much stronger than unfairly, actually - and ruined your next race. And that was something I had a lot more control over, than a hundredth of a second.”

 

Kylo glanced at her with a pained expression on his voice, his bottom lip quivering and his eyes glimmering with regret and sorrow.

 

“I forgive you,” she whispered. The moment Rey spoke those words, her heart knew them to be absolutely true. “I forgive you, Ben.”

 

His eyebrow raised in surprise at hearing his real name slip out of her mouth. Rey opened her mouth to apologize, but he halted her. “No, don’t. I - I actually like that. It’s nice to hear my real name again. And thank you, for forgiving me.”

 

“Okay, Ben.” She tested his name out on her tongue again, then bestowing him a dazzling smile, a beautiful sight that Ben carved into his mind and prayed he’ll never forget. “What happened after you couldn’t swim at Trials?”

 

“I missed the 2016 Olympics, for one,” he replied bitterly, his lips curling at recalling the memory. “His betrayal was the last straw. So I left him to seek a new coach, and I did with Andy Snoke.”

 

“Snoke?” Rey repeated, scratching her chin in deep thought. “Is he the coach you fired right before this year’s Olympic Trials? I think I saw that in the news.”

 

Ben nodded. “Yep, he’s the one. He was the perfect coach in the beginning; he sought me out and seemed like someone who valued my talent and respected how I channeled my anger into the sport. But it turned out he was merely using my legacy for his personal gain.”

 

“He made me feel like the _worst person alive_ ,” Ben emphasized, his voice cracking with pain. “He chastised me, day in and day out, to the point that I didn’t realize he was verbally abusing me.”

 

“I didn’t love swimming anymore. Every stroke felt like a chore; a leaden weight that I was forced to pull. So after years of suffering his tirades, I finally decided to leave him.”

 

Rey gnashed her teeth in ire, horrified at his accounts of Snoke. “I can’t believe he did that!” she cried. “I’m glad you left him, you didn’t deserve to suffer like that.”

 

Heat radiated through Ben’s chest. He appreciated Rey’s defense for him. “It was risky, not having an actual coach throughout this year’s Trials and Olympics, but I’ve genuinely felt much happier.”

 

She nodded, a proud smile blooming onto her face.

 

No words needed to be exchanged for the rest of the sunrise; they both knew that just by sitting side by side, comfort and encouragement flowed through each other. An invisible bond strummed between them, purring with delight.

 

As the sun continued its ascent, it ignited a dancing fire of warm tangerine and mellow pink across the sky. Radiating sunbeams poured through the illuminated clouds, shining over the tranquil city.

 

Beneath the ethereal glow, two hands joined together, their fingers entwined tightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to [reinasolo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reinasolo) for creating this AMAZING moodboard aesthetic above! Original Tumblr link to moodboard: [here](http://reina-solo.tumblr.com/post/176641269562/olympic-swimming-reylo-au-rey-and-kylo-both-on).
> 
> Ben and Rey’s sunrise talk has been in my head since the moment I thought of this fic, so I’m glad to finally show you all this conversation!
> 
> I hope, like Rey, that you all can find it in your hearts to forgive Ben <3\. Please stash away your pitchforks now...
> 
> The coaching situation may seem weird - Amilyn is Rey’s college coach but also this year’s USA national team head coach. Every year, USA Swimming selects a few coaches to be their coaches for the national team; usually, those coaches are stellar college coaches (like Amilyn), prominent club coaches, or coaches of extremely exceptional swimmers (for example, Michael Phelps’ coach and Katie Ledecky’s coach). 
> 
> Come say hi to me on Tumblr [@reylocalligraphy](https://reylocalligraphy.tumblr.com)! **I recently posted a high school Reylo AU oneshot for a gift exchange![Go check it out!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15336321) Also, I will soon be posting the prologue of a Harry Potter/Reylo crossover where Rey and Ben are Head Girl and Head Boy at Hogwarts. [If you’re interested, please subscribe here](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reylocalligraphy)!**
> 
> Kudos and comments are worth a million French Fries <3


	4. The Race Has Begun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As a new day dawns upon Rey, she prepares for the upcoming relay, with quite a few surprises from Ben.

  


It was slightly past six o’clock when Ben noticed Rey’s yawns growing more frequent. The sun had fully risen into the sky, cheerfully beaming down on the two individuals. 

 

“You need to go sleep, Rey,” Ben urged. He slipped his hand out of Rey’s, trying to ignore the tingling sensation in his fingers from missing her hand’s softness and warmth, and poked her arm. “We have another relay tonight.”

 

Rey’s eyes had already fluttered shut, her body naturally curling up into a ball. “Sleepy… here…” she muttered.

 

Ben rolled his eyes. “I understand you’re tired, Rey. But you need to sleep in your own room. It has a foam mattress and - hear me out -  _ fluffy pillows _ .”

 

His response was met with silence. Ben stuck out his index finger to poke Rey again, before a muffled snore was heard.

 

He quickly retracted his hand, as he wondered what to do. There was no way Ben was going to leave her lying here, on an empty roof, for hours. 

 

_ Stars, this girl is going to be the death of me. _

 

Rey’s rectangular room key conspicuously stuck prodded outwards into the fabric of her jacket. Ben was grateful that he didn’t need to search for her card. He reached into her pocket and clenched her key in his fist.

 

Ben crouched down, scooping one arm under her back, his fingers gingerly pressing against her ribs. His other arm cradled the back of Rey’s thighs, coming to settle under her knees.

 

As he lifted her up, Rey’s head instinctively tilted to her side and snuggled into Ben’s chest. Ben pressed his lips tight as he gazed down, trying to hold back a wide smile at the adorable sight. 

 

He lightly tiptoed down the staircase, praying his racing heartbeat wouldn’t be loud enough to wake Rey up.

 

Suddenly, Ben started to panic. 

 

_ Where’s her room? How am I supposed to bring her there? _ Questions speeded through his mind like rapid flashes of lightning, before his eyes glossed over her room key.  _ Rm 2187 _ , it stated in bold print.

 

He emitted a large sigh of relief, although he made a mental note to complain to the village’s front office about this later - putting everyone’s room number on their key seemed like a major security risk, especially at the Olympics.

 

Ben juggled Rey around, keeping her propped up with his left arm and the wall. He rapidly brushed his right hand, tightly holding her key, against the door handle. The scanner turned green, and the wooden door creaked open.

 

Taking long strides towards the bed, he deposited Rey’s body onto the soft bed, carefully lifting the white blanket to cover her. 

 

Ben’s breath caught in his throat as he noticed Rey’s eyes start to flutter open. She turned towards him, her bright hazel eyes piercing his soul. 

 

“Stay,” she whispered. 

 

A well of emotion surged up in his chest, before Ben pressed them all down; he would deal with his confusing complex of feelings later. It seemed like he could not find the will to say no to this woman, so he sat down on Rey’s bed and leaned against the backboard. His hand naturally found her head, gently stroking his fingers through the soft strands of her straight brown hair.

 

A tired smile bloomed onto her face. Rey’s eyelids closed shut again as exhaustion finally took over.

 

After listening to her soft snores for a few minutes, Ben stood up. After a moment of hesitation, he crouched down, placing a delicate kiss on her forehead. 

 

As he turned to leave, something shiny caught his eye, pausing him in his footsteps.

 

On one of the cabinets lay his large, silver goggles. He picked it up, glaring at the object that caused Rey so much pain. 

 

He switched out the silver goggles with a package he had kept hidden in his hoodie, before scurrying out the door.

  
  


===

  
  


Rey squinted at the overwhelmingly bright sunshine beaming through her window. Sitting up and stretching her back, she immediately checked the time. It was a minute until noon. She had napped for almost six hours.

 

Her stomach growled furiously, halting any further thoughts of continuing to sleep.

 

She bounced off the mattress, eager to get lunch. Grabbing three hair ties off her cabinet, Rey rapidly fashioned her typical three buns in the mirror.

 

As she pulled back her hair to tie up her final bun, her hair tie rebelliously snapped. Rey moved to her cabinet to retrieve a spare, when her hand accidentally knocked into something. It crashed into the ground with a soft  _ thump _ . 

 

Rey crouched down to the floor to pick it up. 

 

_ Oh my goodness. _

 

It was a brand new goggles package, identical to her old pair of lucky goggles, down to its transparent blue and thin rubber straps. 

 

Her mouth fell open, her hands repeatedly turning the package over to examine it in disbelief. Rey scanned the surface of the cabinet; Ben’s goggles were missing, only to be replaced by this new identical pair.

 

She clutched the goggles to her chest. For some reason, which Rey refused to address, her heart tingled warmly at the knowledge that Ben gifted her this.

  
  


===

  
  


“And we are BACK at it again, at the seventh and  _ final _ night at Bespin Aquatic Center! This is Kathleen Kennedy and Rian Johnson. Rian, what should we keep an eye out for tonight?”

 

“Oh, there are so many exciting events to wrap up this outstanding week of swimming! We start off the night with the women’s individual 800-meter freestyle final.”

 

“Yes, of course - that’s gonna be quite the long distance race, we expect! Then, we have both the men’s and women’s 50-meter freestyle final, the renowned  _ splash-and-dash _ of Olympic swimming!”

 

“That’s right, Kathleen, blink and you’ll miss it! The night wraps up, of course, with the uber exciting mixed 4 x 100-meter mixed medley relay.”

 

“Ooh, that’s always a fun one. So many strategies and decisions to make, in trying to compile your nation’s quickest relay! Most teams tonight are going for the classic strategy: having the 2 men swim the two slower strokes, backstroke and breaststroke, then the 2 women swim the two faster strokes, butterfly and freestyle.”

 

“The United States, however, are straying from this method tonight - their roster has Tico swimming backstroke and Ren swimming butterfly instead!”

 

“Indeed, Rian. I think they’re in a position to make this strategy change, because they possess the extraordinary talents of Kylo Ren and Rey Johnson. Of course, we have no idea how this event will transpire. Last night, Johnson narrowly missed out on two medals - one individual, one relay; the latter was shared with Ren and Tico as well.”

 

“Oh, Kylo and Rey are just such phenomenal swimmers, I really do hope tonight goes well for them! Especially since they’re both so close to their respective records.”

 

“Excellent point, Rian! Rey Johnson, who will be anchoring the relay, is one medal away from Ahsoka Tano’s rookie gold medal record, while Ren is chasing Luke Skywalker’s overall medal total.”

 

“Absolutely! We wish all swimmers the best tonight, as we cut to commercial.”

 

The screen faded, immediately cutting away to an advertisement. Rian lifted his headset off his ears, and he swiveled his chair to face Kathleen and J. J.   
  


“Don’t you think they would make an amazing couple?”

 

_ “... what?” _

 

“Rey and Kylo! They are both such talented swimmers, with such wonderfully contrasting styles which could balance each other out. Just  _ imagine _ their babies -”

  
  
  


“Look, Rian, we’re professional commentators! We can’t speak about their personal lives,” Kathleen spluttered in disbelief.

 

“Yeah! Even though the more I think about this, I agree with you. They would be an awesome couple…” J. J.’s voice trailed off, before returning steadily. “But make sure you don’t speculate about this  _ on air _ , Rian _. _ ”

 

Rian put his hands up in a surrendering gesture. “Alright guys, I’m sorry!” he hastily apologized. “I promise, I won’t  _ speculate _ about this anymore. Definitely not  _ on air. _ ” 

 

_ But they still would be an adorable couple _ , he thought to himself with a wry grin.

  
  


===

  
  


For the entire afternoon, Rey had a lighter spring in her step and a humongous smile on her face. 

 

(Rose and Poe both kicked Finn when he opened his mouth to ask Rey about her abnormally cheery demeanor.)

 

Her body felt rejuvenated from head to toe. Rey didn’t experience the usual pre-race nerves; she felt like she could tackle on any world issue at the moment. She simply couldn’t  _ wait _ to dive into the water.

 

Gripping her special new goggles in her left hand, Rey had one foot out her door before she frowned. She quickly turned around, rummaging through her luggage like a beaver digging a burrow. 

 

_ Aha!  _ She forcefully shoved two more caps and an extra pair of goggles into her backpack. She’d learned her lesson from last night, after all.

 

Twenty minutes later, Rey was submerged in the otherworldly feeling of being underwater. She warmed up her muscles by going through simple swimming drills, making sure to tighten her new goggles as necessary during her practice dives.

 

Humming her favorite song, Rey climbed out of the pool and skipped to the locker room, warmth radiating throughout her body.  _ Nothing  _ could disrupt her state of elation. 

 

Nothing, except the next three words she heard Rose’s mouth utter.

 

“Rey, Kylo’s  _ missing _ !”

  
  


===

  
  


“Everyone, we have a groundbreaking announcement to make, fresh off the press! This news is straight from American swimmer Kylo Ren’s PR team - who revealed that Kylo Ren’s birth name is  _ Ben Solo _ !”

 

“What a shocking revelation, Rian! But it does make a lot of sense that Ren is the nephew of former Olympic legend Luke Skywalker - talent sure runs in the Skywalker family genes!”

 

“You’re quite right, Kathleen. Solo’s PR team told us that Solo changed his name to Kylo Ren when he was seventeen, because he wanted to make a name for himself separate from his Skywalker lineage. Recent factors changed Solo’s mind, who decided he no longer wanted to hide behind a mask but desired to swim under his true name again.”

 

“That sounds pretty reasonable. My heart goes out to Ren - Solo - this will take me awhile to get used to - for having the courage to do this, to unveil his identity to the world at this moment!”

 

“Oh my gosh, Kathleen, look!”

 

“I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be looking at, Rian.”

 

“Over there! In the center of the stands! I do believe that’s US Senator Leia Organa and her husband Han Solo, who are Ben Solo’s parents.”

 

“Wow, that is quite a sight, Rian! I don’t recall ever seeing either of them at any swimming competition in the past - I am glad they are here to support Solo’s potential record-breaking night!”

  
  


===

  
  


“Rey! REY! Where are you going? We can’t lose you right before our relay too!”

 

Rey ignored Rose’s cries of distress, running straight past her teammate to the one place she knew Ben could be in - the small chamber near the locker room where Ben and Rey had their first confrontation at.

 

She lightly pushed open the door. “Ben?”

 

His pale face greeted her, his dark brown eyes brimming with fear.

 

“Are you okay?” Rey asked in concern. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

 

“My parents,” Ben wheezed. “They’re  _ here _ .”

 

Rey inhaled sharply. It was clear from their morning conversation Ben did not have a good relationship with his parents - no wonder he was panicking before the event.

 

“They’ve never come to watch me swim before,  _ ever _ . Not when I was eleven, not last year. But they’re here tonight,” he continued, his lips fretfully quivering. 

 

“Oh.” Rey was stunned to hear this news. She wanted to bash his parents for not properly valuing and appreciating their wonderful son, but she had to focus on comforting Ben right now.

 

“Why do you love to swim?” Rey nudged.

 

Ben tilted his head in confusion. “What?”

 

“I’ll repeat myself, why do you love to swim?”

 

He took in a large breath to calm himself down. “I love to swim because when I’m in the water, I’m engrossed in another world, undisturbed by anything else around me. I’ve grown to learn and understand success, failure, resilience, and stamina. I have full control when I swim, because it’s just me.”

 

Rey urged him on. “Exactly. You swim for yourself, not for the world, not for your parents. Yes, you represent your country, but you are ultimately  _ the one in the water.” _

 

“A wise guy told me to just ‘go out there and have fun’ - you can do this, Ben. And I’ll be right there next to you.”

 

“Oh, I’m  _ wise _ now?” Ben teased, the corners of his lips stretching into a smirk. “But seriously, thank you. That means a lot to me.”

 

Then, his smile vanished. “I also told the world,” Ben whispered, “ _ everything _ . About myself, my real name, my family. It’s finally all out.”

 

“You - you did?” 

 

He nodded at Rey’s question. “I decided I didn’t want to hide anymore. I just wanted to be  _ me _ .”

 

Rey hurtled into Ben’s bare chest, wrapping her arms around his well-toned back. Ben’s torso stiffened in shock, before he relaxed and returned her embrace.

 

“I’m very proud of you, Ben. You did the right thing.”

 

He lowered his head, nuzzling his face into Rey’s hair. “Thank you. It felt like the right time to me too.”

 

Ben then raised his head again, his eyes widening, as his apprehension returned. “But my parents are here,  _ oh god, I’m gonna mess up -” _

 

“No, no, no!”   
  


“ _ \- and I’ll miss out on the record, you’ll miss out on your record, I’ll disappoint the team and the country, and my parents obviously - ” _

 

Ben was cut off when Rey hooked her arms around his neck and crashed her lips into his. His eyes jerked wider in surprise, before he closed his eyes and returned the gesture.

 

Rey hadn’t really thought her impulse through - catching Ben off guard with a spontaneous kiss - but what she  _ did _ know was that she mightily enjoyed the brief moment. His lips were plump and soft, allowing her to melt into his embrace.

 

One of his large hands came around her waist, pulling her closer while Ben leaned in deeper. His thumb drew small circles on her bare back, extracting a soft whimper from Rey, her blood boiling underneath the skin.

 

Finally, they came apart, gasping for air.

 

“That was nice,” Rey whispered breathlessly. “Really nice.”

 

Ben vigorously nodded, his brain so short-circuited he was no longer be able to form words.

 

“Oh gosh, the relay! We need to go!”

  
  


===

  
  


Neither Rose nor Poe commented on Ben and Rey’s disheveled appearances and flushed cheeks when the duo dashed into the preparation room. 

 

“Here he is!” Rey proclaimed, prodding her finger at Ben.

 

“Finally,” Rose quipped. “You two are really good at performing disappearing tricks.”

 

The tips of Rey’s ears turned red at hearing Rose’s remark.  _ Good thing they don’t know why we took so long… _

 

“What’s all this news about your name not being Kylo Ren?” Poe questioned. “Twitter is  _ exploding _ right now! Are you really Senator Organa’s son?”

 

Ben scratched the back of his neck. “Yeah, my real name’s Ben Solo. It’s a long story.”

 

Right as Poe opened his mouth to utter more questions, Rose stood up and quieted the entire relay team. “Okay, Ben. Kylo. It doesn’t matter what your name is. Which one do you prefer though?”

 

“Ben.”

 

“Alright, Ben. We’re here, tonight, swimming this final relay. As a  _ team _ . Understood?”

 

Rose received three firm nods in response, before the whole team embraced in a hug. 

 

Right as all teams departed the room to walk into the pool arena, Rey glanced at Ben and squeezed his hand affectionately in a final show of support. He squeezed back, his heart warming in gratitude.

 

“In lane five, from the United States of America, ROSE TICO, POE DAMERON, BEN SOLO, AND REY JOHNSON!”

 

The four swimmers bowed as they entered, waving exuberantly to the crowd. 

  
  


===

  
  


“There is not a seat to be had in this arena right now, seventeen thousand people here to watch history potentially be made tonight.”

 

“This is it, everyone! The event we’ve all been waiting for, and the final swimming event of these Games, the mixed 4 x 100-meter medley relay!”

 

“A medley relay starts with backstroke, then breaststroke, before moving onto butterfly, and finally freestyle.”

 

“That’s right, Kathleen. The top three finishers in the morning prelims were the United Kingdom, United States, and Mexico. Then, we have France, Singapore, Italy, Poland, and Vietnam rounding out the field.”

 

“All the backstroke swimmers have hopped into the water, ready for the relay to start.”

 

The entire arena quieted, as the swimmers prepare. A long, shrill whistle sounded.

  
“And the race has  _ BEGUN _ !”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very, very big hug to Kylotrashforever who made this _gorgeous_ moodboard here. LOOK AT THE WATER DROPLETS!!! And she even took time to Photoshop edit their goggles colors. I love you Kylotrashforever  <3
> 
> Here is my calligraphy piece I used in the moodboard at the beginning of this chapter!
> 
> Thank you to my magnificent beta [SageMcMae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SageMcMae/pseuds/SageMcMae). She turned this around with a speed faster than the rate these two space babies fell for each other.
> 
> I did not plan to write a bridal carry originally, but how ELSE was Rey supposed to return to her room?! And now how's the relay gonna go?? Hmm… 
> 
> Kudos and comments were worth a thousand gold medals. Thank you for reading!


	5. She’s Done It!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's race time!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a reminder, the order of a 4 x 100-meter medley relay is: backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle. 
> 
> I'd like to award a gold medal to my amazing beta [SageMcMae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SageMcMae/pseuds/SageMcMae), who turned this chapter around in no time.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy the relay!

  


“All the swimmers are off! Mexico’s Cassian Andor executes a terrific backstroke start, he's out in the lead at the 25-meter mark.”

 

“Three other men are closely behind Andor, and they're ALL already ahead of the world record line!”

 

“Unsurprisingly, Tico is last right now, the only woman swimming alongside seven men. She is actually hanging on quite well right now, Kathleen, merely 2 seconds behind Andor!”

 

“Indeed, Rian. It will be very fascinating to see how the USA’s unorthodox strategy pans out. At the wall, Mexico turns first, followed closely by UK, Australia, and France.

 

“Off the wall, the United Kingdom's Bala Tik breaks the surface first. He has caught up to Andor, and the two are swimming stroke for stroke right now!”

 

“They both touch the wall at the same time, with most of the other swimmers close behind. Tico touches eighth, 4.7 seconds behind Tik and Andor. Dameron, Solo, and Johnson sure have their work cut out for them.”

  


===

  


Rey nervously bit her nails, an old childhood habit she never erased, as she watched Rose rocket through the water.

 

If Rey did the math correctly, Rose was on pace to beat her silver medal winning time in the individual 100-meter backstroke from earlier in the Games. However,  as she was competing against seven men, Rose inevitably fell behind the rest of the field. Rey could not help but question their coach’s decision in strategizing their relay this way. _What if our team is too far back for us to catch up later?_

 

“Don’t worry,” Ben whispered in her ear, seamlessly easing her doubts while discreetly rubbing soothing circles on her bare shoulder. “We’ll be fine. Trust the coaches, and the team.”

 

Rey nodded, fiercely staring straight ahead. She stepped closer to the edge of the pool, hollering and cheering for Rose.

 

Rose arched into the wall and Poe dove in. Rose climbed out of the pool, standing up with wobbly legs. Rey slapped her on the back. Rose, completely out of breath, responded with a weak grin.

 

Rey glanced at the scoreboard. _4.7 seconds - we can definitely fill that gap._

  


===

  


“That was a stunning dive by Dameron. He is swimming right next to the UK’s Armitage Hux. The two have exchanged the most interesting barbs in the past!”

 

“That is very true, Rian. I believe that Dameron called Hux ‘General Hugs’ and ‘Slimy Weasley’ at the last Olympics, haha!”

 

“Everyone has now turned at the wall. Dameron has moved from eighth to sixth place, while Hux has surged ahead to a dominant first place position.”

 

“Both of their breaststroke techniques are so smooth, very high tempo.”

 

“At the halfway point of this relay, the UK leads. Hux hands it off to Tallie Lintra for the butterfly leg!”

 

“Australia touches second, Mexico third, France fourth, the United States fifth!”

  


===

  


“LET’S GO!”

 

Ben plunged into the water as Poe closed in on the wall. Rey watched Rose yell herself hoarse, impressed with the shorter girl’s lung capacity. Poe clambered out of the pool, tossing his cap and goggles aside, and joined Rose in their jubilant cheering.

 

Rey slapped her arms, as if she could physically eliminate the nerves from her body. Her eyes turned back to focus on Ben’s swimming. Due to their team strategy, he was swimming against seven women, steadily making up lost ground.

 

Ben’s butterfly - for lack of a better word - was _stunning_. Every stroke he took was powerful, angrily propelling his whole body forward. And his muscled arms, breaking the surface on each cycle - oh, she could stare at his chiseled shoulders for days!

 

 _Focus_ . _You’re about to swim, Rey!_

 

She pulled her goggles onto her face, feeling her skin get suctioned into the lenses. Rey then stepped onto the diving block, awaiting her turn.

  


===

  


“Ben Solo dives in, the only man swimming butterfly right now! He is four seconds behind Lintra.”

 

“Looking at their individual relay splits, Tico and Dameron both swam personal bests, or super close to them - quite impressive feats. It will now be up to Solo and Johnson to fight for gold!”

 

“Look at that world record line - four teams in front of it, the record's going to be _demolished_!”

 

“Ooh, Solo is catching up - he's taking one vigorous stroke after another. He flew past France near the middle of the pool, now he’s close to pulling even with third place Mexico.”

 

“And he's done it, with 150 meters left in this relay! Lintra turns at the wall first, and -”

 

“Solo has now passed Australia as well! That puts the United States in a solid second place.”

 

“Lintra is swimming the race of her lifetime right now - I don't think she took a single breath in those last twenty meters!”

 

“She is holding off Solo by two whole seconds. The UK had taken an overwhelming lead over the United States. Gwen Phasma awaits as the anchor.”

 

“And America’s Rey Johnson is going to have to make up some ground on Phasma, who stands two meters tall and can absolutely _fly_.”

  


===

  


Rey squinted at the water, watching the rift between Tallie and Ben dwindle. However, it was still a sizable gap.

 

Ben’s hands pounced towards the wall. Rey took a deep breath and sprung off the diving block.

  


===

  


“Both Phasma and Johnson have entered the water, Johnson 1.7 seconds behind! Thankfully, Rey’s dive was definitely safe this time.”

 

“I just don't think she can do it, Rian. How many times has Phasma been there, anchoring her country’s freestyle AND medley relays to gold? Not to say she's the individual 100-meter freestyle winner at these Games too. A difference of _1.7 seconds_ is no joke.”

 

“Johnson's trying to ride that wave as much as possible!”

 

“Phasma is pulling away from her. With 75 meters left in this race, Johnson is a full body length behind her.”

 

“Look at Team USA behind the diving block right now! Tico, Dameron, and Solo have absolutely gone _insane_ with their cheering!”

 

“Phasma and Johnson flip turn into the wall, Phasma 1.2 seconds ahead.”

 

“The United States is trying to hang on to second. They should get the silver medal. Mexico is in bronze territory right now -”

 

“But Johnson is closing a little bit on Phasma! Can the rookie chase her down and pull off a _shocker_ here?”

 

“Well Kathleen, there’s no doubt that she’s tightening it up!”

 

“Phasma is losing some ground! They’re stroke for stroke right now!”

 

“Here comes JOHNSON! _UNBELIEVABLE AT THE END!!!_ ”

  


===

  


Rey nudged herself closer to the laneline, hoping to ride Phasma’s wave. She knew that it would cost her extra time, swimming to the side of the lane, but she prayed that it would be worth it.

 

She flipped into the wall, head and knees tucked in, and thrusted off. Her legs kicked rapidly underwater ten times, until her fingers finally broke the surface.

 

Taking a quick breath facing Phasma, Rey found herself still half a body length behind. She heightened her pace, whirling her arms through the water. Her feet turned into motorized engines, speedily shooting her through the water like a jet.

 

Her mind completely blanked. She could no longer think. She could no longer hear. She could no longer feel any part of her body.

 

All Rey could sense was the feeling of water consuming her.

 

With one last stroke, Rey lunged into the wall, her fingertips completely outstretched, her nail digging into the rubber touchpad.

  


===

  


_“SHE’S DONE IT!!! THE US HAS DONE IT!!!”_

 

“SHE DID IT!!!”

 

“A new relay world record, by _five seconds_!”

 

“SHE DID IT! KATHLEEN, SHE DID IT!”

 

“Johnson and Solo have done it, breaking their respective records. The United States win gold in record-breaking, heartstopping fashion. They beat the United Kingdom by eight hundredths of a second!”

 

“That might be the most incredible relay split I’ve ever seen in my entire life.”

 

“Oh, by far, Rian!”

 

“Not only was that the fastest split in history - it _blew away_ the fastest in history! No woman has ever gone under 50 seconds in an 100-meter freestyle relay split before, and Rey Johnson swam a blistering 49.09! What a clutch, fast swim when they needed it!”

 

“UK’s relay squad looks absolutely _stunned_.”

 

“A major congratulations to USA, UK, and Mexico for their medals. Let’s replay that relay finish again! And again! And _again_!”

  


===

  


Rey lifted her head out of the water to the ringing screams of seventeen thousand people in attendance. She tore off her cap and goggles, shaking her hair loose.

 

Fear replaced the adrenaline, wrapping around her heart like icy vines. She turned around to face the scoreboard nonetheless, the corner of her eye instantly catching on to the number one spot.

 

“YOU - DID - IT!!!” Rose’s head peeked over the edge of the pool and shrieked in Rey’s left ear, punctuating each word with a clap.  


Rey’s shoulders sagged in relief. She threw her fist in the air, slapping the water in celebration.

 

She reached out to grip the handles of the diving block, ready to pull herself out out of the pool, when a large hand extended out in front of her, palm facing up.

 

“You need a hand?”

 

Rey gazed up into Ben’s smirking face. She nodded at his offer, laying both hands in his palms.

 

Ben threaded his fingers through hers. Then, he _pulled_ Rey upwards, who screamed as she flew into the air, catching her in a tight embrace before he let her go.

 

“REYYYYYYYY!” Poe exclaimed exuberantly, slapping her on the back. “That was _incredible_!”

 

“GROUP HUG!” Rose cheered. The four of them formed a circle, beaming at each other with a mix of disbelief and ecstasy. Not even the usually stoic Ben could hold back a wide, dazzling smile. “Oh my gosh. We did it guys. We won gold, and broke the world record!”

 

“And you two broke your records!” Poe chimed in. “I can’t believe how you did that, Rey. You just ran down Phasma in the last few meters!”

 

Rey’s eyes widened comically. In the midst of her nerves, her exhausting swim, and the revelation of winning, she had completely forgotten about her individual record. Glancing at Ben, who looked just as bewildered, she realized he too had neglected his uncle’s record.

 

“You did it,” Rey blurted out. “I’m so happy for you, Ben.”

 

Ben looked straight down at Rey. She shivered, unsure if her reaction was caused by his smoldering gaze or the water still dripping from her skin.

 

Then, he wrapped his arms around Rey and spun her about, completely catching her off guard. Her legs kicked empty air as he twirled her in celebratory circles, ignoring her squeals of protest.

 

“Put me down, Ben!” she giggled. At her request, Ben obeyed and set her down, but not before bestowing a soft kiss on her nose.

 

Wary of the spectators and the cameras surrounding them, he separated himself from her.

 

But Rey tugged him back, her fingers tightly gripping his shoulders, refusing to let him go. She raised onto her tiptoes and pulled him down, claiming his lips with hers.

 

Ben instinctively stiffened in surprise at first, but soon pressed back and melted into her lips with a swimming giddiness. She laid her hand on his soft cheek, gently tracing over his cheekbone.

 

Rey would have been happy to stay like that for an eternity. Closing her eyes, she felt as if she was seeing stars. Ben smiled into her lips, his own lips parting and -

 

“Do you think they know they’re making out in front of _millions of people?_ ”

 

Upon hearing Poe’s distant voice, Ben and Rey snapped back to reality. They immediately jumped apart, their faces turning the same tint as the red of the American flag.

 

It seemed as though the entire arena had roared even louder during their kiss, seventeen thousand voices echoing off the walls. Cameras flashed and clicked all around them, encircling the couple like vultures. Rey’s cheeks flushed a deeper crimson.

 

“I hate to break it up, but we gotta do an interview,” Poe whispered. Upon seeing Ben’s withering glare, Poe instantly decided for the remainder of the evening, he would be walking outside a five-foot radius of the taller man. Rose snickered.

 

(1.2 miles away in the NBC Olympics broadcasting building, a sandy-haired, round-faced man whooped in elation, spinning in his swivel chair with his feet bobbing through the air. The woman sitting next to him sighed halfheartedly, while the man donning glasses grinned at the monitors.)

  


===

  


“Team USA, congratulations on your thrilling relay win! You guys absolutely shattered the world record!” C. T. Peal exclaimed. His gold suit glittered under the bright camera lights. “How did you guys choose such a race strategy? Your team was behind for almost the entirety of this race. Did you doubt the strategy at any point?”

 

Poe opened his mouth to speak. “Our coaches decided to switch things up because of our team’s individual strengths. We just needed to trust our coaches and ourselves, and it worked out.”

 

“Good, good,” the interviewer chimed in absentmindedly. “Rey, what was going through your mind when you dove in, seeing that you were almost two seconds behind?”

 

“Well, I was very proud of teammates for one,” Rey proclaimed. “Rose absolutely held her own against the field of men, while Poe and Ben made up a lot of ground. I just needed to bring it home.”

 

“Right! But you charged Phasma down in the last 25 meters! What did that feel like?”

 

Rey ruminated over how to describe the sensation. “Honestly? My mind was an utter blank, and I couldn’t feel anything in my body anymore. I just wanted - needed - to get my hand on the wall first.”

 

C. T. hummed at her response, directing his next question towards her and Ben altogether. “So, how does it feel breaking longstanding medal records tonight?”

 

Ben tilted his head to the side. “Of course, I’m not swimming for individual records. I’m swimming for the team. But it’s a definite honor to claim the medal record, since it’s a reminder of how hard I’ve worked the past few Olympics.”

 

“Exactly. It’s feels like a dream, to break Ahsoka Tano’s gold medal record as a rookie,” Rey added in agreement. A sly smile grew on her face. “Hopefully, we keep winning more.”

 

“I see,” C. T. nodded, not particular pleased that all the responses thus far were vague and boring. He decided to stir things up a bit. “You two had _quite_ the post-race celebration just now. Care to elaborate more on your relationship?”

 

Rey’s cheeks tinged pink; she was not expecting a personal question at all. She glanced at Ben, who blanched and donned a furious scowl.

 

Rose beat them both to a response. “C. T., thank you for taking time to interview us tonight _about our swimming_ . You always ask the most _terrific_ and _relevant_ questions! Like you said, it was an extremely thrilling race, so we’re pretty eager to receive our medals.”

 

Flashing the flabbergasted interviewer a dazzling grin, she turned on her heels and left the camera frame.

 

Her three teammates followed suit, wearing small smirks on their faces and waving hasty goodbyes to C. T. Peal. Rey made a mental note to buy cookies for Rose later.

  


===

  


“Representing the United States of America, Rose Tico, Poe Dameron, Ben Solo, and Rey Johnson!”

 

The four teammates stepped onto the highest podium together, hand in hand. One by one, they bowed down to receive a heavy gold medal around their neck and a flower bouquet.

 

Rey’s eyes watered as the National Anthem swelled in the background and the US flag raised high into the arena ceilings. She had been on the gold medal podium six times already in this past week, but never had she felt such pride in being part of her nation’s team.

 

Soon, she was tugged down from the podium to do their celebratory walk around the pool. Walking last among the four, Rey waved and blew kisses into the crowd of cheering fans.

 

Nearing the end of the walk, the team finally reached the spectator section where Team USA athletes and family sat together. Finn stood up and whooped loudly, Rose throwing him her flowers and blowing a kiss in response.

 

Ben suddenly halted, causing Rey to stumble right into his back. “Why’d you stop?”

 

He didn’t reply; instead, Ben turned and skillfully climbed over the divider separating the spectators and the pool’s sidewalk. He ran up the stairs to the second highest row, hopping two steps at a time.

 

Ben wrapped his arms around his parents, burying his face in Leia’s shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An enormous thank you to [Midnightbluefox](https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightbluefox) for making this beautiful moodboard above! Original Tumblr link [here](https://midnightbluefox.tumblr.com/post/176741496832/a-moodboard-that-i-made-for-reylocalligraphy-and). 
> 
> This relay was inspired by the 2008 Olympics Men’s 4 x 100-meter Freestyle Relay. I remember smol me screaming in front of the TV, watching that relay live. Some commentary from Rey and Phasma’s battle was modeled from the legendary commentary of Dan Hicks and Rowdy Gaines - [watch that race here](https://youtu.be/chwxaUtnfUk?t=4m25s) so you can truly _feel_ the intensity of the relay.
> 
> This is the [face](http://www.jedinews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/rian-johnson-at-at-696x467.jpg) I imagine Rian (the sandy-haired, round-faced man) making when he watched Ben and Rey kiss on screen. 
> 
> One more chapter left in this fic. Wow!
> 
> Come say hi to me on Tumblr [@reylocalligraphy](https://reylocalligraphy.tumblr.com)! **Kudos and comments are worth lots and lots of hugs. Thank you for reading!**


	6. The End is Just the Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot of ~stuff~ happens after the race… and four years later as well.

The aftermath of the race was a complete whirlwind, the team jumping from one media request to another. Rose and Poe participated in a press conference, while Rey and Ben were ushered to do a TV interview led by commentators Rian and Kathleen. (Rey found it to be unlike any interview she’d ever done before.) A quick meal later, the group of five finally returned to the Olympic village around midnight. 

 

“You guys want to go out to a bar? Go celebrate?” Finn asked, his arm hanging around Rose’s shoulder. She bobbed her head in agreement, her gravity-defying short hair bouncing in sync.

 

Poe grinned, flashing his teeth to the whole group. “I'm down! We're all done with our events now. And I haven't drank in  _ months _ .”

 

“What a  _ travesty _ !” Rey mocked, bringing her hand to her forehead and feigning pain. Then her face grew serious. “Honestly though, I'm pretty exhausted. I think I'm just going to get an early night.”

 

“Alright. How about you, Solo?”

 

“Uh -” Ben was still caught off guard at being included in any group plans. Despite having been at three Olympics, he never bonded with anyone close enough to form a friendship. His heart fluttered at knowing he now had friends; but he didn't feel comfortable going without Rey. “I'm also pretty tired; I think I'll go pack, since I'm returning home tomorrow.”

 

“Okay, but you guys are missing out!” Rose exclaimed. “Bye, lovebirds!” 

 

The tips of Ben’s ears flushed pink at hearing Rose’s statement. Though Rey glared at Rose’s backside as the trio departed, Rey reached for his hand to give it an affectionate squeeze. 

 

Ben assumed that they too would need to go their own paths now. “Good night, Rey,” he said solemnly, releasing Rey's hand from his own grip. He turned to leave, but Rey pulled his arm.

 

“Do you want to come to my room?”

 

Ben cocked his eyebrow in surprise. “I suppose I can walk you back to your room.”

 

“No,” she stated with a soft shake of her head. “I don't think you heard me. Do  _ you _ want to  _ come to my room _ ?”

 

His eyes immediately widened when the meaning of her words sunk in, a dazed look clouding over them. Ben nodded eagerly and Rey's cheerful laughter echoed throughout the hallways, as she tugged him the entire path to her room.

  
  


===

  
  


Rays of sunlight peeked through the window shades. Rey's eyes fluttered open, blinking violently to adjust to the brightness.

 

She tried to turn to her side, arm outstretched to grasp for her phone, when she realized she physically  _ couldn't _ .

 

Sometime during the night, Ben’s strong arm had wrapped around her waist and pinned her down into the mattress, not unlike a pillow. Rey’s heart swelled with joy when she realized the intimacy of their current position - their bodies faced each other, bare legs entwined, with Rey’s head tucked perfectly into his chest.

 

Ben snuggled even closer, emitting a soft snore as his grip on Rey tightened. 

 

“Ben, wake up,” she whispered. 

 

He continued to snore.

 

“Ben.” Rey’s tone turned sharper and her finger poked his chest. She tried to wiggle her body to no avail. 

 

Well, she guessed she had no choice but to use her last resort. Rey brought her fingers to his ribs and tickled him.

 

_ That _ got his attention.

 

“Are - are you -  _ tickling _ me awake?” he wheezed between laughs, stirring out of his deep slumber. 

 

Rey deigned not to respond and continued, despite Ben now being awake. Her phone lay on her bed stand forgotten. Ten seconds later, he was in hysterics, his body jolting with joy and helplessness combined.

 

“Stop - I’m begging you -  _ please _ !”

 

With a smug smile, she finally pulled her hands away. Ben gasped for air, panting heavily. 

 

“You’re pure evil. I told you I was ticklish in  _ confidence! _ ”

 

Rey offered a wicked grin. “You weren’t waking up,” she cackled. “What else was I supposed to do?”

 

Ben huffed halfheartedly, propping himself on his side to stare straight into Rey’s eyes. She could feel his hot breath on her skin, her blood warmly tingling underneath.

 

He then decided to sit up. With a large yawn, he arched his back and stretched, his torso on full display for Rey to see.

 

A strangled noise ripped free from her throat at the sight.  _ Sure _ , Rey had seen him shirtless plenty of times when he swam, and she definitely  _ explored  _ the plains and valleys of his chiseled chest last night, but his body had never been so available and prominent as of that moment. His muscles  _ gleamed _ under the sunlight. 

 

Her eyes drank in every inch of his skin. There was no doubt in Rey’s mind that Ben would be exactly what 17th-century Renaissance artists envisioned as the model for their marble sculptures.

 

“Like what you see?” Ben smirked, wiggling his eyebrows. 

 

Instead of responding, Rey decided to adhere to the age-old adage of “actions speak louder than words.” She shoved Ben onto his back and straddled his hips, her eyes twinkling with mischief. He stared back, his pupils blown wide with lust.

 

Rey slowly lowered herself, her lips gently grazing over his, before a knock sounded on the door.

 

“Rey? You in there?”

 

She immediately froze at hearing Finn’s voice, rolling her body off of Ben’s. “Hurry, go put on your clothes and hide or something,” she hissed. He obeyed instantly.

 

“It’s almost twelve - we’re heading to lunch, and you didn’t reply our texts. Do you want to come?” Poe inquired.

 

“Uh, give me a sec, guys!” Rey threw on a Team USA hoodie and matching shorts in record time, fingers hastily running through her tangled hair. Ben had hopped off the bed, currently attempting to master the challenge of simultaneously donning a shirt and sweatpants.

 

“Hey!” Rey greeted with as much energy as she could muster as she shoved open the door, meeting the eyes of Poe, Finn, and Rose.

 

“Oh my gosh, did you just wake up?” Rose asked, her lips stretching into a smug smile. “Ben is here, isn’t he?”

 

“ _ What? _ ” Finn gasped. Poe tilted his head to the side, giving Rey a once-over before he nodded in agreement with Rose. Rey’s cheeks tinged a bright red in response.

 

“Just let them come in,” Ben’s voice rang out from the bedroom.

 

Finn’s jaw dropped even further at hearing Ben’s words. Rey had no choice but to let the three guests enter. 

 

“So, did you two have a  _ wonderful _ night?” Poe teased. “Must have been a  _ long _ night. Are you feeling sore by any chance?”

 

Rey scowled. “Shut up, Dameron.”

 

“Oh, it’s Dameron now? I was merely asking about if you were sore from your  _ race _ last night,  _ Johnson _ ,” he replied innocently.

 

“You know, you guys broke the Internet last night,” Finn chimed in before chaos broke out. He glanced down at his phone, thumb scrolling through Twitter. “I tweeted a video of the ending of the relay and your celebrations. It actually got three hundred likes!”

 

“Which isn’t that much,” Rose whispers to Rey. “But don’t tell him I said that.”

 

Ben quirked an eyebrow at Finn’s exclamation, suppressing an amused grin. “Well, I guess that makes sense, it was a really close race.”

 

Rose and Poe groaned in chorus. “It wasn’t just about our team. It was about you two dorks,” Rose stated. “Here, let me pull up Rian’s tweet. It got over one hundred thousand retweets in five hours.”

 

Her fingers danced across the screen, before she finally found what she was looking for.  _ “What an incredible end to all the swimming events at the Games!” _ she read.  _ “Not only did Rey Johnson and Ben Solo redefine records, they redefined love. #Reylo!” _

 

“Reylo…?” Ben repeated in confusion.

 

“It’s a ship name, like Rey merged with Solo. Thus,  _ Reylo _ . The hashtag’s going viral!”

 

Ben opened his mouth in an ‘o’ shape. “Ohhh, that’s why people have been tweeting Reylo at me all morning! I thought it was a cult or something,” he exclaimed. 

 

“Let’s just go to lunch, and not talk about this,” Rey asserted, irritated. 

 

“Oh, we’re gonna  _ talk _ about this alright,” Rose whispered into Rey’s ear. The taller woman gulped.

  
  


===

  
  


After lunch, Ben and Rey returned to her room, so he could collect his belongings. She sat on the bed, the mattress sinking down to accommodate her weight, as she watched Ben pack his backpack.

 

Upon finishing, he seated himself next to Rey and turned to face her. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, his words laced with deep affection and admiration. His hand gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. 

 

Rey blushed, unused to hearing such praise. “Thank you,” she replied with a radiant grin. She decided to divert the topic. “What are your plans now? You go home today?”

 

Ben’s expression turned pensive. “Yes, I return to Chandrila tonight,” he stated quietly. He twisted his mouth in deep thought. 

 

“Oh.” She swallowed thickly, casting her gaze downward. 

 

Her body stiffened at the prospect of not seeing Ben again. How had Rey grown so attached to a man - a man who she had only really known for three days, one of those days spent hating him? This was why she had always refused to commit to relationships, for the fear of attachment. If life on Jakku had taught her anything, it was that people come and go and may never return; the only person who you could trust was  _ yourself _ .

 

She was never going to see Ben again. Rey was foolish to fall so quickly into their whirlwind romance, or whatever it was that blossomed in between them, and now her heart was going to pay for her mistake.

 

Ben’s voice broke her rapid train of thoughts. “How… how would you feel if I moved?”

 

“If you moved?” Rey echoed in disbelief.

 

“To Crait,” he explained in an earnest whisper. 

 

Her mouth slackened. “Are you out of your mind?” Rey exclaimed. “Chandrila is across the country from Crait!” 

 

“I know,” Ben said, “but there’s nothing left for me in Chandrila anymore. Literally. I have no coach, no friends, and no family there.”

 

“Okay…” Her thoughts scrambled to understand Ben’s offer. It… it did make sense. But for Ben to make this large of a change just for her? She wasn’t worth such an enormous sacrifice.

 

Ben seemed to sense her unease and incredulity. “I promise, I’m not moving just for you. Well, you’re the biggest reason, obviously. But also, if I moved to Crait, my parents - they live in Coruscant - would only be ninety minutes of driving away. Plus, Holdo said she’d be willing to coach me -”

 

“You already talked to Holdo about this?”

 

He bit his lip, abashed at revealing so much. “Well, yeah. I just knew I couldn’t let you go.”

 

A dazzling smile broke out on Rey’s face. Her eyes began to water, and her heart felt so full of emotion and glee, it felt like it could burst at any moment.

 

“So, what do you say?” Ben beamed. “You okay with a new training partner?”

 

She hurled her body into him, wrapping her arms tightly around his torso. Pressing her face into his chest, she could intimately hear his heartbeat. “Thank you,” she whispered into his embrace.

  
  


=== 4 years later, at the 2032 Naboo Olympics ===

  
  


“Representing the United States of America, Rey Johnson!”

 

With a excited leap, she jumped onto the first place medal podium stand, waving her hand to the enthusiastic arena. The Nabooian fans were certainly a rambunctious, passionate crowd.

 

She leaned down. Soon, her neck was adorned with a new gold medal - the eighth and final one of these Games - and her fingers gripped a soft plush toy of the Gungan, the Olympic mascot.

 

Placing her hand on her heart, Rey glanced at the US flag rising into the ceilings while the national anthem boomed behind her. 

 

When the final notes faded, she and her fellow silver and bronze medalists stepped down to conduct their ceremonial celebratory walk around the pool. Rey plastered a dazzling smile on her face. However, her eyes searched for only one person - Ben.

 

While Rey had still been a little hesitant about Ben’s move across the country to join her in Crait four years ago, once he settled down, she was enormously grateful he did it. Their relationship progressed fantastically; they spent nearly every day together, either in the pool or in their shared apartment. Rey fully believed that every minute spent with Ben was a happy moment.

 

A year ago, Ben suffered a MCL tear at the World Championships. Never one for patience, he returned to water too soon after his injury and re-aggravated it. He decided to retire instead; after all, he was already thirty-two, a pretty ripe age for professional swimmers.

 

Thus, he decided to gain two new job titles - a part time swimming coach, and a full time cheerleader for his girlfriend.

 

Rey scanned every corner of the spectator stands, her eyes especially lingering on the section of American athletes. Yet she still could not find the familiar tussle of raven curls she always longed to run her fingers through.

 

Completing her celebratory walk, she began her trek towards the locker room.

 

However, one Olympic official stopped her. “Madam, could you please stay there for a moment?” the official stated, his blue and gray jacket donning a name tag saying “Artoo.” 

 

Rey halted her footsteps, though she was quite confused. “Why? Do I need to do another interview?”

 

“Uh, no,” Artoo stammered, stroking his beard. “Just stand there. You’ll see.”

 

“What do you mean,  _ I’ll see _ ?” Rey shouted in puzzlement. “Don’t be so cryptic!” 

 

But the official had already walked away. In his place, a dot inching closer and closer, was a shadow Rey recognized quite well.

 

“What are you doing here?” she whispered to Ben as he strolled towards her, their faces mere inches apart. His eyes shone brightly, but his gaze was unreadable.

 

Then, her focus shifted downwards. In his hands, he held a glass cylindrical case with a red rose encased in the center.

 

“Oh, Ben, you didn’t need to get me a flower!” Rey gasped, beaming at her boyfriend.

 

He did not respond; instead, he dropped down on one knee.

 

Her jaw dropped.

 

“Rey,” Ben spoke in a hushed tone, his smooth voice caressing her name like a warm spoonful of honey. “One of the biggest lessons in swimming is to never give up during a race. Though we didn’t get off to the greatest start, it is not the beginning, but rather the end that matters.”

 

He lifted the glass case and pulled out the rose to reveal a small, square velvet box hidden inside. 

 

“Since you came into my life, four years ago at the last Olympics, you have helped me change for the better. I am not a perfect man, but being with you has made me realize I don’t want to be perfect, I just want to be  _ yours _ . I want to make you happy, and be there by your side. I can’t imagine living the rest of my life without you.”

 

Ben paused to take a deep breath, his heart racing so rapidly it felt like it would actually dive out of his chest. He unclasped the velvet box. In it, lay a white gold band encrusted with a collection of sapphires and diamonds, which glimmered brilliantly under the arena lights.

 

“Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

 

Rey’s hand flew to her face, covering her mouth. Tears streamed down on her face, blurring her vision. His whispers of love echoed in her ears, blocking out the deafening roars of the arena.

 

“Yes,” she weakly nodded, before her tone raised in volume, sounding much surer. “Yes, yes, yes, yes,  _ yes _ !” 

 

Ben rapidly blinked, both in surprise and to stop his eyes from watering. His lips slowly stretched into a wide smile.

 

With a trembling hand, Ben slid the ring onto her finger, before standing up and pulling Rey into a tight embrace. 

 

Around them, nineteen thousand fans exploded, showering with the newly engaged couple with love and well-wishes as they began their new life together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
>  Original [Tumblr post](https://sularae.tumblr.com/post/177247576957/mood-board-created-for-make-a-splash-by-the) by SulaRae  
>   
> Original [Tumblr post](https://polkadotdotdotreylo.tumblr.com/post/177230097829/make-a-splash-by-reylocalligraphy) by Polkadotdotdotreylo  
>   
> Original [Tumblr post](https://atchamberlin.tumblr.com/post/177242741084/make-a-splash-by-reylocalligraphy-is-such-a-sweet) by Atchamberlin
> 
> A HUMONGOUS thank you to SulaRae, Polkadotdotdot, and Atchamberlin (in order from top to bottom) for creating these BEAUTIFUL moodboards for Make A Splash!!! I am so speechless, I don’t have words anymore to describe how grateful I am. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Go check out all three’s fics, they’re amazing!
> 
> I'd like to award a Gungan plush toy to my magnificent beta [SageMcMae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SageMcMae/pseuds/SageMcMae) for beta'ing all of this fic!! 
> 
> Ben’s proposal was inspired by (but not entirely the same) 2016 diver He Zi’s proposal to diver Qin Kai, which you can watch [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WefZiurJ6vc).

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first ever Reylo fic, and it has been such a crazy and INCREDIBLE journey. Thank you SO MUCH to everyone for supporting this story!!! Much love to you all. 
> 
> If you liked this Reylo fic, please consider checking out my other works!  
> COMPLETED:  
> \- [As the Clock Winds Down](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15336321) (a High School AU oneshot, pure fluff)  
> IN PROGRESS:  
> \- [Unwritten Oaths](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15610749/chapters/36245412) (a Hogwarts AU! No Harry Potter knowledge necessary)  
> \- A few more Modern AUs coming soon!
> 
> **Come say hi to me on Tumblr[@reylocalligraphy](https://reylocalligraphy.tumblr.com)! **


End file.
